3 Reasons to Use VR When Designing Your Kitchen

Virtual reality tools allow you to explore and experience your new kitchen before you start your renovation.

March 01, 2018

Home renovations can be hard to visualize. With virtual reality (VR) you can take a life-size tour of your new kitchen before you finalize your plans. Here are three ways kitchen designers are using VR to enhance the renovation experience.

Visualization

Renovation projects often reconfigure existing spaces, and the impact of those sorts of changes can be hard to imagine when seen on paper. While a floorplan can give a good idea of how the final space will be arranged, it can’t compare to the experience of putting on a VR headset and “looking around” the room. After you’ve taken a VR look, you no longer have to imagine how the space will feel.

Human Factors & Ergonomics (HF&E)

Great kitchen design combines aesthetics (visual) and ergonomics (function). HF&E is an industry term for design that takes into account not just what you see, but how people will interact with the space — in a kitchen, that’s everything from walking, standing, cooking and cleaning to collaborating and entertaining. Designers use VR because it allows homeowners to fully appreciate a kitchen design plan beyond the aesthetics; you get a better sense of the layout and can understand the configuration and flow.

Confidence

VR takes the guesswork out of design selections. A designer can import colors and textures into the virtual experience, not only for cabinetry, but for counters, flooring and walls. You can even view elements like appliances and room decor to get a complete vision of the new space. The flexibility of VR makes it practical for designers to present different colour options and configurations, and for homeowners to ensure there are no surprises. You can see the full effect of your choices from all angles before making a final decision.